Maestro Lloyd’s VDJ swan-song

JEFF Lloyd hopes he has chosen the right horse in the Vodacom Durban July in which he will be aboard the Justin Snaith-trained fouryear-old colt Made To Conquer, pictured.

Lloyd, a six-times South African champion jockey, has been a particularly good rider of Greyville, where the uphill section from the 1000m mark up to the 450m long straight has found out many a lesser rider.

The July has always eluded him, although he has often gone close, finishing third on no fewer than eight occasions.

Made To Conquer

Made To Conquer has the pedigree to win the July.

He is by Dynasty, who won the big race in 2003 and produced the July winner of 2014, Legislate.

Dynasty’s progeny have a liking for the tight Greyville track due to their inherited ability to accelerate off the mark.

Made To Conquer is out of the Casey Tibbs mare Festive Occasion, who won the Grade 2 SA Oaks.

Among Festive Occasion’s three Gr1 placed efforts was a third place finish in the Woolavington 2200 over the July course and distance.

Silvano

She produced the Silvano filly Do You Remember, who won the Woolavington 2000 and finished third in the July in 2013.

Lloyd was due to be in South Africa anyway in order to see how his son Jaden had been doing at the South African Jockeys Academy.

He was given a few options for the July but plumped for Made To Conquer.

He said the bay colt had given him a good feel in the July gallops last Thursday and he was also pleased to discover the type of temperament he had.

He said: “He’s a good mover, he has a good temperament, but he’s not a horse who does more than he has to do.

“He is laid back. I’ve ridden many horses who wait for the racecourse to do their best and I think he is one of them.”

Lloyd had admitted on the day of the gallops that he believed Made To Conquer would probably be at his best in six months time.

The veteran jockey certainly looks to have a fine chance of getting across the line first in his likely final bid to win the July.

He is due to retire but at the age of 56 is still at the top of his game.

Racing season

He broke the Queensland Metropolitan and State records for the number of winners in the 2016/2017 Australian racing season and is well clear in those championships again this season.

Made To Conquer is the 10/1 joint-third favourite with Betting World.

Lloyd, meanwhile, will be hoping to make it a 95th Group 1 winner and will jump from a fair draw of 11 if the reserve runners come out.